It is tempting, in an age of political outrage, to see every controversy as a morality play with heroes and villains. The cancellation of a political event at The Venue Fort Lauderdale is more complicated—and more instructive—than that.
The event, organized by the Florida Youth Justice Coalition and Gen-Z For Change, was scheduled to feature U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib. After public comments and criticism concerning Tlaib's appearance, The Venue canceled, citing increased security concerns. The Venue subsequently emphasized that it is Jewish-owned and operated and that its relationship with the Jewish community is deeply important to its owners.
Some have interpreted the cancellation as capitulation to political pressure—pro-Netanyahu (and therefore, obliquely, pro-Trump). I see something different: a private business confronting a situation it believed it had not fully understood when it accepted a booking.
I have little liking or sympathy for Benjamin Netanyahu, and every American should have concerns about the many allegations of corruption surrounding him. But criticism of Netanyahu—or of any Israeli government—should not require Jewish Americans to place their Jewish identity in a separate box in their capacity as Americans.
That is particularly important here because I know that the owners of The Venue have long supported many worthy causes, including ones we would consider “progressive.” Their decision deserves to be understood on its own terms, rather than interpreted as an effort to suppress someone’s politics.
It is also worth asking whether Israel has become a political hot potato that is too readily used to drive wedges among otherwise like-minded people.
Nor is it realistic to ask Jewish Americans to set aside their connection to Israel, Judaism, or Jewish history when discussing politics. We would not reasonably ask Irish Americans to forget their opinions about the Troubles in Northern Ireland, or American Catholics to dampen their personal pride (or outrage) towards Pope Leo. Identity and politics are complicated precisely because human beings are complicated.
The Venue Fort Lauderdale is not the public square in the constitutional sense. Its owners have the right to decide what events they are comfortable hosting, particularly when security concerns arise. And accepting a booking does not constitute an endorsement of the views expressed there.
That principle deserves defending.
We preserve democracy not by demanding that every business host every viewpoint, but by recognizing that disagreement does not require dehumanization.
The Venue's decision may disappoint people on both sides. But perhaps that is precisely why it deserves a more charitable reading.
A writer and media strategist, and lifelong resident of South Florida, Cliff Dunn is the former Executive Editor of the Florida Agenda newspaper, Mark magazine, and Guy Magazine.
